It's drive-by journalism, to put it charitably, a string of stupefyingly brief hit-and-run interviews with a bunch of unidentified people who we know are going to say nothing that will surprise us. By then, we've already figured out they're going to be fried by Pelosi's camera. We know they're going to sound like yahoos, often goaded, always reduced to sound bites and caricatures.

Leahy's main gripe is that Pelosi focused primarily on those Republican voters with extreme positions, often full of misinformation of just blatantly racist.

But Pelosi, an interview today with Salon, said that she anticipated questions about her motivation while making this film, and defended the work as balanced.

SALON: At one point, you're talking to someone who describes Obama as the antichrist, and you say to him, "Do you want to maybe rethink that? Because I'm going to be accused, when this is on TV, of just looking for the craziest guy in the room." And he ponders it and says, "No." He's OK with saying it. How often did you have that kind of conversation with somebody?

PELOSI: Every day. It was much more common than you'd think. In the heat of an election, people say some crazy things. And in the case of the gentleman you're talking about, I have talked to him since then and this is just the way he sees it. I heard that every single day. It was much more common than you'd think. And I think that a lot of them were mimicking things they heard on right-wing radio.

Pelosi said that she's "not naive," and realized that she'd "be criticized for picking people who say some extreme things." She added that if someone wants to take the antichrist guy "as a sample of the movie, you have to take one of the 20 other people who say very reasonable things."

Reader Comments (55)

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Ah, another Micheal Moore, the defacto leader of the Democratic party. And Jason, the article was short, and it wasn't a hard read, so how is APP proving mini Pelosi's point? I think he or she is refering leftist, "drive- by journalism" propaganda when she usses the term Hitleresqe. Google "Hitler progaganda" or " Mein Kampf" and you'll have a better understanding.

@Dmac:
Just to point out the Democratic party has an actual leader. His name is President Barack Obama. It's your Republican party that is currently floundering for a voice.
All of you Pelosi-haters go read the full interview on Salon before you jump to your knee-jerk reactions. I know it will require you to go to a...gasp!..."liberal" website but she does address all of Leahy's objections. Apparently he couldn't be bothered to actually go to the source before unleashing his hatchet. As to why mostly nutjobs appear in front of the camera...they were the one's most eager to "go on the record." The sane, reasonable Republicans (which Pelosi says are most of the people she spoke to) were for the most part unwilling to go on camera and be seen speaking on behalf of the Republican party.
But you guys go ahead and keep on dropping Hitler references on anyone who disagrees with you and idolizing the Taliban as your new political mentors. Let me know how that works for you.

The daughter is ever bit as arrogant and dim-witted as her mother. She decries capitalism whenever she believes it suits her goofy ideology but mommy is one of the richest idiots (read: liberal elite) in San Fran Looneyville!

Ms Pelosi and her mother want the fairness doctrine so that they can shovel this type of clap trap down peoples mouths and have no one to answer their shill BS. If they keep it up the new greeting will not be hello it will be Heil Obama.

While listening to a conservative talk show last month, I heard three separate callers claim that Obama was the anti-Christ. This is not unusual! One caller claimed that he and his wife figured it out from reading one of those Swept-Away novels, apparently not realizing that they are fiction.

"We know they're going to sound like yahoos, often goaded, always reduced to sound bites and caricatures."
I think Spawn Insanity, Blowhole O'Reviley, Rush Limpbone, Laura Ingrateham and Groan Belch already do a great service to "real America" (To quote Failin' Palin)over at the mockumentary newscast known as FAUX NEWS.

People who can't think of anything really smart or knowledgeable to say reveal their ignorance when they equate Obama and Hitler.
Here's a tip: That's not really a substitute for intelligence, nobody is fooled.

Alexandra Pelosi is really nothing like her mother. She is very cordial and fair. She has a good personal rapport with many conservatives. Even Sean Hannity likes her.
Please visit my blog
http://theblueprojectblog.blogspot.com/

I work in a blue collar environment. I'm retired Navy, College educated but working at an hourly position as a technical guy. I hear this from my conservative, republican coworkers all the time. They swear up and down Obama is Muslim, Obama is a terrorist who tricked liberals into voting for him. Obama fooled the FBI, CIA, and Treasury Dept. So of course, Obama must be the antichrist or a Muslim who they all believe are ignorant, sub-human Arabs. These illogical and nonsensical positions make perfect sense in a world view sculpted by the yammering of right wing radio. This is the Republican Base we are all supposed to be emulating and trying to be more like. These wackos are supposed to be our moral and intellectual superiors. If there is a God in Heaven then God save us from his followers.

From the WaPo article:
"While passionate in their opposition to Democrats, most of the conservatives I met at the rallies that day expressed fascination and respect for Obama. They wouldn't be voting for him, but they felt pride in a country that at last was giving serious consideration to electing an African American."
Yeah . . . sure.

I think we all know that many silly people vote for both parties. And many people who are otherwise not foolish can sound pretty dumb when expressing their uninformed political beliefs.
This documentary is unnecessary. Anyone can listen to C-SPAN call-ins and realize that many people sound loony. This is nothing new. Democracy survives these views through mass aggregation of opinions in voting.
Rather than spend her time "discovering" that conservatives can be foolish people, Ms. Pelosi could really do us a service by interviewing some average people and sit down with them for a good while and find out why they've always voted Dem or Rep or vacillated between the two. What philosophical, spiritual, practical understandings drive their votes.
It is easily verifiable that quite reasonable, mature people are liberals and conservatives, Rep and Dem. Trying to persuade people of the opposite is crass.

Not one bit surprized about the conclusion Pelosi hopes the public will accept. Did anyone really think Pelosi would portray conservatives any other way? And now there is a movement in the liberal circles to reign in on the likes of Limbaugh in the name of "fairness". And liberals wonder why so few will listen to them in the media.

Pug said "They're every it as hysterical as the morons in her film. "
Great catch, Pug - we really don't need a movie to show us how off the rails conservative yahoos are - all one has to do is read this thread!

Please. If her name wasn't Pelosi does anything think HBO would air this?? Or that she'd have a career as a filmmaker?? In fact HBO has become annoyingly liberal. Once upon a time they just produced great shows. That's why I'm considering dropping HBO for Showtime.

"Did anyone really think Pelosi would portray conservatives any other way?"
Well, Jim, the conservatives portrayed themselves. Pelosi just asked them to speak and videotaped their responses.
Of course if you can show that the McCain supporters are not as they appeared to be now is a good time to do it. Maybe pick a few of the people who appear in the Pelosi video and show that they are not, in fact, representative. Or pick just one.
As I understand it (I haven't seen the video) Pelosi made a real effort to not just select nut cases. As I understand it Pelosi speaks kindly and approvingly of many of those she encountered. That's pretty good, I feel.

Believe me I could make pro-Obama types look bad. How about the Code Pinko hags that boo'd Bush at the Obama's inauguration? Or the Obama supporter in Palestinian garb I saw recently at an Obama photo-op?
I mean just compare Joy Behar to Elizabeth Hasselback. Screeching Loudmouth vs. Ladylike Class.

Believe me I could make pro-Obama types look bad. How about the Code Pinko hags that boo'd Bush at the Obama's inauguration? Or the Obama supporter in Palestinian garb I saw recently at an Obama photo-op?
I mean just compare Joy Behar to Elizabeth Hasselback. Screeching Loudmouth vs. Ladylike Class.

Well I guess we had the whyobamagotelected.com 'survey' and little vignettes of stupid Obama voters so she did her own version.
Extreme uneducated views on both sides help no one. I would love to just read accurate intelligent discourse and debate but that's not something I see often from either side anymore. Can we please get some unbiased journalists somewhere? Anywhere?
With our Social spending commitments, current debt and recent increase in spending we are looking at 74 trillion in debt. One year GDP of the global economy, 74trillion. Put that in your pipes and smoke it.

Carmalite is right! Dropping HBO is a great idea. They're pushing a one-sided liberal agenda. That's why they're also airing Will Farrell's sick and insulting You're Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush.

Just watched it. I now understand what is going on in right wing nuts heads. They are all dumb as a sack of hammers and messed up on Jesus. that Jesus stuff is worse then crack when used on dumb people.

Wow Fred, sounds like you really hate Jesus. I recommend some of the Bush/Obama faith based counseling. But this article is about whether Alexandra Pelosi's HBO documentary is balanced, not about Jesus. Her mom's visiting the Pope right now, so go easy. I'm doing a documentary on sane liberals and want you to be my first interview!

QUOTE:
That's why I'm a proud Liberal. We have open minds about people. We don't pigeonhole people or stereotype them.
Posted By: SFRules | February 16, 2009 at 08:23 PM
-----------------------------
Are you intelligent and discriminating enough to understand that your entire post was a statement of stereotype?
Oops!
P.S. Shhh- I'm betting you are scratching your head trying to understand what I'm talking about.

I'm a conservative who cares if it is fair and balanced if it is the truth that's all anyone can ask for .If she only finds the nuts on the right then it turns into a ****ing contest, nuts on the left and nuts on the right . This has been done by man on the street interviews it is only my opinion but the so called educated on the left in new york city have done themselves a great disservice ,and the uneducated on the right hold there own.

"Hewhoasks, Ever heard of selecting editing? Perhaps you might want to familiarize yourself with that kind of journalistic practice."
Well, Jim, yes, I have. As I understand it the extreme comments Pelosi included in the video are in the minority. I don't have cable; I haven't seen the video. If my understanding is correct Pelosi did include many people whose responses were not of the extreme variety. Most, she claims, were of that second variety. I think she did selectively edit: for less extreme viewpoints. It's a pity that coverage concentrates on the extreme representatives.
While it would be dishonest I'd be fairly content had she left out all the extremists. I'd be very glad for only non-extreme McCain voters to be shown. Those would (in my estimationm) also be the voters most likely to favor the kind of bi-partisan approach Obama has said he wishes to see made.
Do you claim that those with extreme views that she did show are not representative of any others who backed McCain?

Nancy Pelosi probably had a good laugh discussing how to make Republicans look stupid in Alexandra's documentary. It's exactly what Nancy tries to do every day as the esteemed leader of the Democrats. This is the kind of leader Democrats follow?

As if there is a shortage of lefty wackos out there. How about that guy a couple of days ago that that just about had an orgasm when he got to ask Obama a question. Or those on the street interviews where the people were asked if they thought Palin was a good choice for Obama and if they supported his anti abortion stance. They enthusiastically answered yes. Just no shortage of idiots on both sides.

Wierd. I looked at the dash in my Delorian.. says it's 2009.. Obama just won presidency, and Republican ideas, and philosophy have been overwhelmingly rejected..? Right.. or did I overshoot my mark, and land in 2004..? Hard to tell cause one would think that Republicans would have learned by now -- no one cares what you uneducated hayseeds think. Maybe watch the film before you tell me what its all about.. but If my memory serves me correctly they don't cure Republican's of the stupid gene till 2015..

It doesn't matter why she did it.
The truth is those people said what they said. No one put a gun to their heads. No one made that man say he ain't gonna vote for no ******. No one made that man say he ain't partial to blacks...WTH(heck)?!?!
The truth is the truth. No matter how it looks. She put a camera in their faces and they showed their true colors. Being African-American it hurts, but so what? I know who I am dealing with. I rather hear the truth, than learn later that the people I work with everyday are sneering at me behind my back.
No one made those people do anything they didn't want to, and thats the jagged little pill we all have to swallow. Sure Democrats have some choice words for the Republicans, but there are plenty of sane people on BOTH sides too. We just happen to not be racist like so many (but not all of course) of them tend to be.
But to any conservative: Why oh why would an African-American woman like me vote for the Republicans when I am not likely to even be invited to a dinner? Shoot, my heart stopped when Mr. Bush was elected, and my then-24 year old healthy heart about stroked-out when he got in again. So I don't feel sorry for them, because they were kissing and hugging each other for the last 8 years. But the democracy they so well protect and love made the way for "that one" to be voted in, so I rather they either get over it the way Dems did in 2000 and in 2004, and try to unify this country, or shut up. Its too bad, so sad, but this is the reality we live in!

Funny. Do you think conservatives forgot the last eight years. I was disappointed in Bush, but for going the the paat 8 years of 'Bushhitler'
Darth Cheney' 'Emperor Rove.' I think the left already bought part and parcel childish politics. Just watch Olbermann and his transgender brother Maddow. Cut from a cookie cutter. Worst. Broadcasters. Of. The. Dayyyyyyy....

Funny. Do you think conservatives forgot the last eight years. I was disappointed in Bush, but for going the the paat 8 years of 'Bushhitler'
Darth Cheney' 'Emperor Rove.' I think the left already bought part and parcel childish politics. Just watch Olbermann and his transgender brother Maddow. Cut from a cookie cutter. Worst. Broadcasters. Of. The. Dayyyyyyy....